Sunday 1 April 2012

The first in Eight! QPR 2 Arsenal 1

 Well yesterday was rather a day to forget for two reasons. Firstly a big thank you to the idiots who decided to vandalise the Southern Rail line at Burgess Hill yesterday morning. Why do these morons think it is such a laugh to do this? God knows, I expect if they were to be hindered in anyway by something like this they would be screaming from the roof tops! So I missed my connections and ended up missing being at Soccer am yesterday. Grrrrrr.

So secondly the game yesterday. Where to start on this? I know that all an sundry were expecting a win from Arsenal, except Micky Quinn on Talk Sport with his mystic Micky stuff, so perhaps the team were thinking the same thing. A walk in the London Sunshine? Well it was overcast and a bit grim and that sums up the performance quite nicely!

We looked bright in the beginning but QPR were putting in a workman like performance and getting back into the game. Loftus Road is a small ground, smallest in the league in fact and can be intimidating. Last week the QPR fans were booing their captain off the pitch. This time they just booed us and seeing the way we were playing it was not surprising. Ramsey seemed to want to be in the centre of the pitch instead of on the left wing, wanting to get away from the fans? I have to say the line up from Arsene was a bit odd. I feel the Ox would have been a better choice on the left. We looked off balance, out of sorts and unhappy with ourselves which is strange given our run of late and the confidence that has provided. What we must remember is that QPR are fighting for their Premier lives and I think the team, although playing ok, forgot that and we gave to much away when in possession of the ball.

Vermaelen really did have a stinker of a game, worst I have seen in an Arsenal shirt. He produced errors which led to both of the QPR goals and the slapping of the ground showed his frustration as the winner went in. We all have our off days and it was his turn today. The "I am taking the bus" Taarabt producing the first on turning Vermaelen an the second when he failed to deal with a chip, letting Fraser Makie to cross and a good finish from Samba Diakite on 66 Minutes.

There was only a glimmer of hope when at 1-0 Rosicky had time to pass to RVP. He turned Ferdinand and got the ball to Walcott. First attempt hitting the post but got the rebound and side footed the second to make it 1-1. It was the only time we really looked good. We had lots of possession but we really struggled against QPR's organisation and commitment.

So well done to QPR, I hate to say it but they were better on the day, even Barton played better and that hurts alot too. On the downside for them though they are facing an FA charge for an incident in the 90th minute. It came as Van Persie was preparing to take a free kick. The assistant ref was nearby when a coin was thrown from the crowd and struck him. Were they aiming for him or RVP? There is no room in football for this and I hope QPR investigate.

Well that's it, I hope you had a better weekend than me and next up is Citeh. They seem to be on meltdown at the moment, Balotelli resuming his bad boy ways. Maybe we can take advantage of that.

Laters,
The Dog

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